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9| O akville B eaver | T hursday,M ay 17,2018 insidehalton.com PROVINCIAL ELECTION INTRODUCING OAKVILLE'S PROVINCIAL ELECTION CANDIDATES Five provincial election candidates are vying for your vote on June 7 in the riding of Oakville. They include, in alphabetical order, Stephen Crawford (PC), Emily De Souza (Green), Kevin Flynn (Liberal), Spencer Oklobdzija (Libertarian) and Lesley Sprague (NDP). This week, the Beaver profiles the local candidates. The Beaver was unable to reach Oklobdzija. The Oakville riding's Pro- gressive Conservative Candi-gressive Conservative Candi-g date Stephen Crawford says if elected he will work to bring relief to local families.relief to local families.r The local businessman, who has called Oakvillewho has called Oakvillew home since 2009, says he wants to be Oakville's nextwants to be Oakville's nextw MPP because he loves the province and the Oakville community. "I have seen the misman- agement that has been taking place over the last decade or more," said Crawford. "I feel very strongly about impacting it in a positive wayimpacting it in a positive wayi for the next generation."for the next generation."f Crawford noted life in On- tario is becoming increasing- ly unaffordable and said hely unaffordable and said hel would work to bring a 12 perwould work to bring a 12 perw cent cut to residential hydro bills. He said this would help many in Ontario, including those who have to choose be-those who have to choose be-t tween heating their home and buying groceries. "The hydro bills in Onta- rio are the highest in Canadario are the highest in Canadar and among the highest in North America," said Craw- ford.ford.f "Many families are getting their electricity turned off.their electricity turned off.t Businesses are leaving the province." Crawford said he would al- so work to better the local economy through hydro re- lief for businesses and by re-lief for businesses and by re-l ducing the corporate tax rate from 11.5 per cent to 10.5 perfrom 11.5 per cent to 10.5 perf cent to make Ontario more competitive. He listed reducing regula- tory red tape to help business- es thrive as another priority. "B.C. for example has half the number of regulations asthe number of regulations ast Ontario," said Crawford. "We are not talking about getting rid of any regulations that are common sense, thatthat are common sense, thatt are impacting health and safety, but just ones that are creating headaches and ob- Stephen Crawford • PC DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com Stephen Crawford- Oakville riding PC candidate Stephen Crawford photo l See PC, page 47 Canada needs change in government to help it reach the potential of be- ing a climate leader. That's the opinion of Green party candidate Emily De Sousa who is running in the Oakville riding in the provincial election in June. De Sousa, 22, is an en- vironmental governance student at the University of Guelph, entrepreneur and a self-described "pas- sionate scuba diver." De Sousa, a Toronto native now living in Cam- bridge, first became in- volved with the Green party earlier this year when she was asked to speak at an event regard- ing local water issues in Guelph, where she is a well known water advo- cate. She sits on the board of Wellington Water Watchers, a water pro- tection group based out of Guelph dedicated to educating citizens about water privatization and fighting to phase out bot-fighting to phase out bot-f tling permits. She is also the co-ordinator of a campaign at the Univer- sity of Guelph called Tap In aimed at ending the sale of bottled water on campus. She founded her own online blog where she continues to use her voice to defend water rights and advocate for marine conservation is- sues. She was also invit- ed to give a TED talk ear- lier this year about plas- tic pollution in the oceans. Since speaking at the event, De Sousa has been Emily De Sousa • NDP KEVIN NAGEL knagel@metroland.com Emily De Sousa is running for the Green Party in Oakville in the June provincial election. LindseyGibeau photo l See GREEN, page 47 Oakville provincial Liberal candidate Kevin Flynn says there are a lot of good things happening in the town and he doesn't want to see that threatened by a Doug Ford Progressive Conser- vative government. The local incumbent is seeking a fifth term as Oakville's MPP, a posi- tion he has held since 2003. Moving forward, Flynn said he wants to see continued provincial investment in Oakville. "I really enjoy re- presenting the communi- ty. It really is a great community to represent and raise a family in, and when I feel that is being threatened that really is a motivating factor for me to keep going," he said. "When you look at the new hospital, what we are doing in the schools, what Sheridan College is doing these days, the GO train improvements ... I just don't want to hand that over to a crew that are going to start to cut back, despite what they're saying. Every so often their true selves come through, and that's not who I want to see run- ning this province." Flynn, who chaired a select committee on men- tal health and addictions in 2009, said the time has come for real action on this front. Kevin Flynn • Liberal DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com Oakville riding Liberal Candidate Kevin Flynn. Kevin Flynn photo l See FLYNN, page 47 Oakville riding NDP Can- didate Lesley Sprague says she's running in the upcom- ing provincial election be-ing provincial election be-i cause she wants to see health care in the town and the prov- ince improve.ince improve.i The personal support worker/family caregiver saidworker/family caregiver saidw she has witnessed a decline in health care, particularly for seniors and those with men- tal health issues, all across Ontario, which she chalked up to Liberal and PC cuts andup to Liberal and PC cuts andu neglect. She said if elected she and an NDP government would work to turn the situationwork to turn the situationw around. "We would start by hiring frontline nurses. They arefrontline nurses. They aref what open beds," saidwhat open beds," saidw Sprague. "A bed has to have the staff to cover it and hiring staff means we can open more beds and the system will start flowing again. Right now it isflowing again. Right now it isf very backed up."very backed up."v She also called for the cre- ation of a ministry specifical-ation of a ministry specifical-a ly for mental health and ad-ly for mental health and ad-l dictions. Sprague said the amount preventable suffering caused by the public's inability to ac-by the public's inability to ac-b cess the supports they need when faced with mentalwhen faced with mentalw health and addictions related issues is outrageous. She said some of these conditions can be treated and managed given the right sup- ports leaving the recipients and their families able to lead productive lives. "That will help more peo- ple get into the workforce. That will help more people be able to contribute," said able to contribute," said a Lesley Sprague • NDP DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com Oakville riding NDP Candidate Lesley Sprague. Lesley Sprague photo l See NDP, page 47